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Grant Denyer doesn’t want Kyle to wreck Talent

"I don't want him to be a terrorist and come on here acting like a goose, abusing four years of reputation that we've built," says AGT host Grant Denyer.

“It’s definitely edgier,” insists Grant Denyer. “Kyle and Brian are great mates so that means they don’t hold back. Dannii is determined to find the next international star. So it’s much more aggressive. Those boys have had us in stitches for hours on end while filming this show.”

Tonight season 4 of Seven’s Australia’s Got Talent rolls out in a 100-minute theatrical foray with two new judges, former Westlife singer and Football Superstar host Brian McFadden, and the bad boy of Austereo, former Australian Idol judge and Big Brother co-host, Kyle Sandliands.

The show that has fondly fostered the vaudevillian talents of child singers, teenage dancers, gum leaf whistlers and spoon-slapping grannies has just been impacted by the power of two: Sandilands and SuBo.

Denyer and Dannii (Minogue) remain the show’s two constants, now overseen by former Idol producer Greg Benness.

While Idol has a lengthy track record and has created household names, the more-junior AGT is on the rise and ready to capitalise on the fact it is now the sole contender in a talent landscape. After awarding the prize to 2009’s teenage opera singer Mark Vincent, Denyer is proud of the show’s more humble achievements.

“Mark Vincent from last year has gone double platinum in album sales and received great recognition, but I think he’s really young, so I don’t know whether his star is quite ready to shine. The talent depth we have (this year) is much broader than I thought it was going to be,” he says.

“We’ve had lots of quirky stuff come out of the woodwork too, so it might not be a singer that’s going to win, and we’re quite proud of that point of difference with this show.”

But even Denyer proves, if under pressure, that the show is  yet  to discovered many memorable stars.

Who was the winner of the first Grand Final in 2007?

“The first year was….”, he pauses, thinking hard. “Dammit!”

Can’t remember. Thankfully his recall is more accurate on the 2008 winner: Teenage guitarist “‘Smokin’ Joe Robinson!”

Denyer says while AGT may not have developed stars that match Idol‘s track record, it has had an embracing affection for its contestants. But he also isn’t convinced Kyle Sandilands understood that at early auditions.

“I think he was too rough in the first two audition shows. I think he came with the wrong mind. I think he came with Australian Idol-judging headspace which is about culling the numbers as brutally and as fast as possible to discover talent. He was trying to toughen them up on their road to Idol, whereas this is a very different show,” he says.

“This is a show with a warm heart and people aren’t coming on our show to be an international recording artist. They don’t need to be toughened up. They are unique Australians with unique qualities, so we’re going to pull him into line if he steps out.”

Denyer says viewers will see fireworks from Sandilands from the very first episode.

“He’s already been out of control and I don’t always agree with Kyle’s style. At the end of the day he’s an entertainer but he’s been setting up some of the acts like ten pins and bowling them down,” he says.

Denyer views himself as one of the concept’s ‘gatekeepers’ and insists that while there is determination to deliver the next Susan Boyle it can’t come at the sake of headline-grabbing incidents.

“I’m not going to allow him to come on and wreck four years of great work that we’ve built on in building this brand up. I don’t want him to be a terrorist and come on here acting like a goose, abusing four years of reputation that we’ve built,” he says.

“If he’s going to come on and start slapping small children around verbally, there’s only so much of that you can allow to happen. These people haven’t come on to be judged like that. They just want to come out and showcase their talent. Dannii’s muzzled him a couple of times and we certainly will keep him honest.”

Having himself been on the receiving end of Sandilands firepower on his radio show, Denyer knows some consolation is needed after contestants have fronted the judges.

“It’s not really the role of the host but it’s ended up being that way,” he says. “After they’ve just copped a war of words from Kyle, it’s up to you to make good. I’ve done a lot of patching up after Kyle’s finished with them. We’ve all had our words to him and I think he realises where he played it wrong and I think he gets it now.”

After the first few audition episodes, Denyer feels the new judging panel begin to have a better appreciation of the show. He even finds room to acknowledge the positives of having Sandilands around.

“There’s already been a dancer, a young kid who is a great freestyler. He’s already connected him up with Jay-Z in New York and taking his DVD over there to showcase this kid.

“There is some legitimacy over what Kyle tries to do, but there is no controlling his mouth.”

It means if nothing else, Sandilands should make for arresting television.

“He’s come out of the blocks with all guns blazing, but he’s made us laugh a lot. He has a terrific sense of humour. He’s a very naughty man, which makes it very entertaining.”

Finally, Denyer remembers who won the first season: Schoolgirl Bonnie Anderson.

“With the big, beautiful, blue eyes!”

Australia’s Got Talent airs 7:30pm Tuesdays on Seven.

32 Responses

  1. Didnt watch A.G.T, primary because of the under Talented Kyle S. Will be tunning into Channel Tens Master Chef instead, much more Entertaining…..Boring Channel 7 boring!

  2. didnt watch this show before, wont be now either.
    but whenever i did watch it, i was bored outta all hell.

    nothing grant denyer says is important, and actually Kyle didnt wreck Idol either. After they sacked Kyle, Idol was terrible.

    yay for Kyle, GTFO my TV Grant. 🙂

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